Firefly Music Festival
GenreAlternative rock, indie rock, EDM
Location(s)The Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway
(Dover, Delaware)
Years active2012–2019, 2021–2022, 2024-
Websitefireflyfestival.com

Firefly Music Festival is a music festival produced by AEG Presents that was first held on July 20–22, 2012, in Dover, Delaware. Firefly takes place in The Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway, a 105-acre (42 ha) festival ground, over the span of three days. Many nationally known musical acts have performed at the festival, with over 100 performances held over the course of the festival in 2016.[1] The festival producers had worked together to establish the event at the current venue with the hopes of having "an open-air festival on the East Coast with plenty of outdoor camping".[2] In past years, the festival has included up to seven stages: The Porch Stage, The Lawn Stage, The Backyard Stage, the Treehouse, The Coffee House, The Pavilion and The Firefly Stage.[3] In 2019, the festival had six main stages (The Firefly Stage, The Prism, The Lawn, The Hideaway, Treehouse and The Roost), two sponsor stages (Bud Light Dive Bar and Toyota Music Den), and one stage in each camping hub (North Hub Beach Club and South Hub). Firefly offers three different pass options; general admission, VIP, and Super VIP.

The festival was held from 2012 through 2021 (the 2020 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).[4] It went on hiatus in 2023; however, it was announced by its promoters that it will return in 2024.[5]

Musical acts

2012

The headliners for the 2012 festival included Jack White, The Killers, and The Black Keys. Each performer played as the final act for a separate night of the festival on The Firefly Stage, the largest stage at the event. Other notable acts included Death Cab for Cutie, John Legend, Bassnectar, Modest Mouse, and The Flaming Lips. Although Passion Pit was listed as a musical act for 2012, their performance was canceled due to lead singer Michael Angelakos seeking ongoing treatment for bipolar disorder. Yeasayer was chosen as the replacement for Passion Pit's performance.

The 2012 schedule (artists listed from earliest to latest set times):[6]

  • Friday, July 20
  • Saturday, July 21
  • Sunday, July 22

2013

The headliners for the 2013 festival included Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.[7][8] Other notable acts included Vampire Weekend, Foster the People, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Avett Brothers, Calvin Harris, and Passion Pit.

Imagine Dragons was scheduled to be the only returning musical act between the 2012 and 2013 Firefly Music Festival. However, due to a scheduling conflict they had to cancel their performance and were replaced by Jim James.[9] The Lumineers and Earl Sweatshirt were also scheduled to perform, but cancelled for medical reasons. Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite replaced The Lumineers while Schoolboy Q replaced Earl Sweatshirt in the lineup.[10]

The 2013 schedule (artists listed from earliest to latest set times):[11]

  • Friday, June 21
  • Saturday, June 22
  • Sunday, June 23

2014

On January 14, 2014, the lineup for 2014 was announced via the official Firefly YouTube channel. The headliners for 2014 included Outkast, Foo Fighters, and Jack Johnson with other notable acts Imagine Dragons, Beck, The Lumineers, Pretty Lights, Arctic Monkeys, Weezer and Broken Bells. Girl Talk, Twenty One Pilots, and Imagine Dragons returned for their second year performing at the festival.

The 2014 schedule (artists listed from earliest to latest set times):[12]

  • Thursday, June 19
  • Friday, June 20
  • Saturday, June 21
  • Sunday, June 22

2015

On February 17, 2015, the 2015 lineup was announced via the official Firefly YouTube channel. The headliners for 2015 included Paul McCartney, Kings of Leon and The Killers. The schedule of performances and locations were released on a date closer to the festival. Due to a severe thunderstorm on Saturday night of the 2015 festival, Kings of Leon had to cancel their performance and the festival grounds were temporarily evacuated. Charli XCX also had to cancel her Thursday performance, citing "personal reasons" in a statement.

The 2015 schedule (artists listed from earliest to latest set times):[13]

  • Thursday, June 18
  • Friday, June 19
  • Saturday, June 20
  • Sunday, June 21

2016

The 2016 lineup was released on November 18, 2015. Headliners included Mumford & Sons, Kings of Leon, Florence and the Machine, and deadmau5. Two Door Cinema Club served as the Thursday night headliner.

The official alphabetical 2016 lineup was as follows:

2017

Headliners included The Weeknd, Muse, Twenty One Pilots, Chance the Rapper and Bob Dylan. Glass Animals served as the Thursday night headliner.

The official alphabetized 2017 lineup was as follows:

2018

The 2018 Firefly Music Festival continued the four-day event format from June 14 through June 17 with headliners that included: Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, ODESZA, Lil Wayne, Logic, SZA, Martin Garrix, and Alt-J.[14]

2019

The 2019 Firefly Music Festival returned a three-day event format starting June 21 and lasting through June 23 with headliners that included: Panic! at the Disco, Travis Scott, and Post Malone. Other major performers included Kygo, Tyler the Creator, Vampire Weekend, DJ Snake, ZEDD, Death Cab for Cutie, Brockhampton, Courtney Barnett, TLC, Lykke Li, Lauren Daigle, Alison Wonderland, King Princess, Jessie Reyez, and Tank and the Bangas.[15]

2020

The 2020 Firefly Music Festival was scheduled to be held from June 18 to 21, but was canceled on March 24 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16]

2021

The 2021 Firefly Music Festival was announced on March 29, 2021, to be held from September 23 to 26.[17]

Many food venues to pick from during all three days of the festival along with, set times that may be switched around or changed due to something with the artist performing.

2022

2023

While the festival will not happen in 2023, they have indicated it will return in 2024.[18]

Crowd surfing at the finale of a Blink-182 concert

Activities

In addition to musical acts, the Firefly Music Festival offers other activities. An arcade tent is set up, which houses arcade and video games. Attendees can design their own pair of Toms Shoes and have an artist paint the design. With the purchase of the custom pair of shoes, an additional pair of Toms is sent to a child in need, through the Toms One For One Movement program. The Hammock Hangout is a shaded area in which you can sit or lay down in a hammock. The Pathway is a wooded path that connects the two "halves" of the festival. Each year, the Pathway has a theme, and as of the 2017 festival, fans get to choose what that happens to be.

At the Thicket, attendees can participate in a silent rave using headphones to listen to music played by DJs. The Coffee House offers a multiple café-style vendors, and music performances throughout the day.

In its first year, Firefly featured hot air balloon rides over the Woodlands.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "2016 Lineup". Red Frog Events.
  2. ↑ MCKINLEY, James (April 3, 2012). "A New Pop Music Festival in Delaware". Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Festival Map". Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  4. ↑ Cormier, Ryan (March 24, 2020). "Firefly Music Festival canceled due to coronavirus pandemic". The News Journal. Wilmington, DE. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Firefly Music Festival canceled for next year, but will return to Delaware in 2024". October 28, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Speak into My Good Eye Firefly Festival Releases Day-By-Day Lineup Schedule For Inaugural Event". Speak into My Good Eye. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  7. ↑ Mehalick, Mike. "Firefly Music Festival Unveils 2013 Lineup Headlined By Tom Petty, Red Hot Chili Peppers". Speak into My Good Eye. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  8. ↑ Mehalick, Mike. "The Postal Service Playing Firefly Music Festival 2013?". Speak into My Good Eye. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  9. ↑ "News & Updates". Red Frog Events.
  10. ↑ "Speak into My Good Eye The Lumineers + Earl Sweatshirt Pull Out of Firefly Music Festival". Speak into My Good Eye. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Firefly Music Festival | Welcome". July 13, 2013. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Schedule | Firefly Music Festival | A Premier Music Experience". July 3, 2014. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  13. ↑ "2015 Schedule | Firefly Music Festival". June 27, 2015. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Firefly Music Festival releases daily band schedule". delawareonline. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  15. ↑ Josephine, Peterson (December 10, 2018). "Panic! At The Disco, Travis Scott, Post Malone: Firefly 2019 lineup announced". Delaware News Journal. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  16. ↑ Cormier, Ryan (March 24, 2020). "Firefly Music Festival canceled due to coronavirus pandemic". The News Journal. Wilmington, DE. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  17. ↑ Cormier, Andre Lamar and Ryan. "Firefly Music Festival surprises with new fall dates for 2021, pending state approval". The News Journal. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Firefly Music Festival canceled for next year, but will return to Delaware in 2024". October 28, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Attractions". Retrieved March 20, 2013.
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